1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image processing method and apparatus capable of easily detecting an edge of an object within an input image, and more particularly to an image processing method and apparatus, wherein an edge of an object within an image is detected in one step, without a pre-processing step, which does not use a complicated trigonometric function when a gradient is detected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Detecting an edge of an object within an image is a basic technique of an algorithm for improving a quality of the image, and enables further processing of the image by sorting the image into an important structure, a texture detail, a smoothing region, etc.
Canny and Sobel edge detection methods are two conventional methods for detecting an edge of an object within an image. Canny or Sobel edge detection is frequently used for edge detection due to simple computation and easy hardware realization. However, for gradient detection, the Canny or Sobel edge detection method requires an arctan function, which creates difficulty in hardware realization. Additionally, the Canny edge detection, by nature, requires a pre-smoothing step. More specifically, when either the Canny or Sobel edge detection is applied to an image having noise without smoothing, many point artifacts or defects are generated from a uniformity region.
Accordingly, an edge detection method is needed that detects an edge in one step, without pre-processing, such as in a pre-smoothing step, and does not require a complicated trigonometric function, e.g., an arctan function, for gradient detection.